·Republican Rancher Sean Englund Has Announced His Candidacy For The LD1 House Race. "I've watched our elected officials tackle some very challenging and often polarizing issues at the Capitol the last few years. At times, I've felt that rural interests were not being adequately addressed. There simply aren't enough lawmakers who speak for the rural voter," said Englund. "I would like to speak up for rural interests. That's why I'm running office. I bring not only interest, but also firsthand experience to issues ranging from land use, water resource management, livestock management and state-land issues. I also have professional experience in residential real estate development, banking, finance and mortgage issue, and the key value that these industries play in our economy.

"I'm a plain-spoken, common-sense conservative who has profound appreciation for our rural lifestyle while comprehending the necessity of our well-managed and continued growth and development. I'm not afraid of hard work or of getting my hands dirty. This great state of Arizona was built on the backs of people who weren't afraid of a hard day's work. That's what you can count on from me. I'm an everyday man wanting to work for everyday people." Contact: Kyle Moyer480-941-0781 kyle@kylemoyer.com

·AZGOP Candidate Announcements and Events can be sent to repcomm@cox.net for posting in the Briefs.In fairness to all GOP primary candidates, Briefs does not post endorsements, nor does it endorse any GOP candidates prior to the primary.

·LD29 House Candidate Aaron Borders is looking for volunteers to help with his campaign. Volunteers are needed to walk neighborhoods every Saturday morning. Contact: Tiffani 480-559-3168 or email her at Tiff4ab@gmail.comwww.AaronBorders4AZ.com

·Do You Have Raffle Items For The Maricopa County Lincoln Day Luncheon?Contact: LDL Raffle Chair Lady Margot Wittenberg at480-488-9098 MsPorsche21@aol.com

·The Tempe Republican Women will meet at the Pyle Center at 6:30 pm on Mon, Feb 24 to hear Dr. Critchtlow. Members are asked to bring non-aerosol shaving gel, foot powder and 4 oz. sunflower seeds for Packages from Home.

·Supt of Public Instruction Diane Douglas candidateis asking for volunteers to collect petitions signatures at the gun show at the Arizona State Fairgrounds in Phoenix should contact her volunteer coordinator Kristine Johnson at 480-241-7111or kris49@me.com

·Daniel CaldwellIs Hosting A Free Luncheon With Concerned Veterans For America (CVA)between 11:30 am and 1:30 pm,Sun, Feb 23 at Marjele’s Sports Gill in downtown Phx. CVA is a conservative veterans organization that advocates for smaller government, less spending, VA reform, and individual liberty. CVA are not a veterans membership organization. About half of the volunteers/staff are veterans and the other are Americans concerned about this country's future and the nation's military and veterans.RSVP required by Feb 21: http://www.concernedveteransforamerica.org/arizona/Contact: Caldwell at daniel.caldwell@gmail.comor 602-909-6248.

·Arizona Businessman, Former Congressman And Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Frank Riggs, a national leader of school choice and education reform over the past two decades, applauded the State Senate Education Committee for taking action on legislation to rescind Arizona’s participation in the national education standards and testing regime known as Common Core and the PARCC Assessment.“It was a mistake to force Common Core on Arizona schools,” said Riggs.“It infringes on state and local control of public education and the cost to implement and comply with Common Core would only compound our structural state budget deficit, at a time when K-12 education funding is $750 million less than 2008.”

Riggs pointed out that Arizona has been the national leader in offering parental school choice, including charter and home schooling options for families.“I believe in local school autonomy and the fundamental right of parents to choose the best education for their children. Common Core could interfere with local curriculum decisions that are best made at the school site-level and the freedom of school choice that is well established, and cherished by many parents, in Arizona,” Riggs said.

Riggs supports expanding Empowerment Scholarship Accounts which put 90% of a child’s per-pupil funding directly into the hands of parents, who know best of their child’s unique education needs.Riggs also favors eliminating school district monopolies by making every school a “choice school” based on the charter school model, with a governing board and principal responsible for the academic and financial performance, funding, personnel and curriculum.

Riggs pointed out that there are a number of nationally norm-referenced tests for the purpose of comparing Arizona students to their peers in other states, as well as the federally funded NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) aka “The Nation’s Report Card.”The federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act requires states that receive Title 1 funding for “disadvantaged” (low-income) students, including Arizona, to test a sampling of students in reading and mathematics at grades 4 and 8 every two years.The test results can then be used to compare Arizona students with students in other states and with the nation.

Riggs, a founding board member and CEO of the Charter Schools Development Corporation and President of Arizona Connections Academy, an on-line charter school that provides accredited, tuition-free curriculum to home schooling families, called on his challengers to join him in repudiating Common Core and urged swift passage of the legislation withdrawing Arizona from Common Core.“I’m steadfastly opposed to all attempts by the Obama Administration and the federal government to contravene the 10th Amendment of the Constitution and infringe on Arizona’s state sovereignty, whether it be education, health, privacy or personal liberty,” he said.

·The 6:30 Pm, Feb 24 Arizona Project meeting will be double header with J. C. Piers discussing a taxes and the LD-20 Caucus Committee addressingthe Caucus process to select candidates for public office. Shane Krauser will not be speaking as posted several days ago.

·Anyone Wishing To Schedule A Speaking event for Supt of Public Instruction Diane Douglas should contact her volunteer coordinator Kristine Johnson at 480-241-7111 or kris49@me.com